First Things First
by Brass Dragon
Summary: Perhaps rainy nights don’t have to be so bad, and maybe revisiting the past is actually a –good idea. Some yaoi, some language and a little HakkaixSanzo.


**First Things First****  
An Elucidation **_of poetry_  
_An effort to humor the muse by the Brass Dragon

* * *

_'_Woken, I lay in the arms of my own warmth and listen  
To a storm enjoying its storminess in the winter dark__  
Till my ear, as it can when half-asleep or half-sober,__  
Set to work to unscramble that interjectory uproar,__  
Construing its airy vowels and watery consonants__  
Into a love-speech indicative of a Proper Name.'_

It had been raining for days. By the time they found a town that was larger than a postage stamp they were soaked to the core. Goku complained that his fingers and toes would be pruned for the rest of his life, but other than the occasional sigh or soft compliant he was silent. Gojyo was having a hard time deciding which of the two in the front seat was being hit hardest by the atmosphere. Hakkai seemed to flinch with each drop, and Sanzo looked as if her were trying to sink into the upholstery. All in all it made for a quiet and uncomfortable ride.

Hakkai was periodically swiping water from his monocle. It didn't take long before the constant need for action frustrated him, and with a quick fluid move that spoke of his distaste for the entire situation; he pulled it from his face and dropped it into Sanzo's lap. The blond blinked down at the piece and picked it up carefully. "Can you see well enough without it?" He didn't seem to ask as much as ponder out loud.

Hakkai gave him a bitter smile. "It's becoming a hindrance in this rain." Sanzo grunted and tucked the thing carefully into his sleeve.

"Will we reach a town before evening?" He asked, but somehow made it sound like _'We will reach a town before evening, or great pain shall befall all.'_

Hakkai merely nodded and pushed a bit harder on the gas.

* * *

Sanzo loomed dark, foreboding and dripping over the waist high desk with its polite sign and sizeable guest book. The small pudgy inn keeper cowered slightly and nudged two keys closer to his tense fingers.

"I'm sorry. Really. But we only have these two. The east wing was severely damaged by the storm. These are all that's left." He whimpered slightly and Sanzo's lip curled in a disgusted sneer.

Then Hakkai was hovering, but not touching, just close by and doing an honorable impression of a calm collected peacemaker. "Now now, Sanzo. Intimidating the poor man won't help any." The only sign of his annoyance was the harder than necessary emphasis on 'poor'. "That's fine sir, thank you. May we go on up?"

"Yes! Of course." The inn keeper was practically glowing with adoration for his green eyed savior. "They're doubles, and here are some keys for the baths." He pushed the keys into Hakkai's long fingers, and then ducked through the open door behind the desk. Perhaps to build an alter with which to worship the kind beautiful man.

Goku snatched a room key with a thankful smile and disappeared up the stairs. No doubt in a hurry to dig into the bag of rations that hung over his shoulder. Hakkai turned to Sanzo and tilted his head in question.

"How would you like to do the sleeping arrangements?" He asked softly

Sanzo blinked in surprise, hands pausing as he made to light his first cigarette in two days. Hakkai was giving him an opening. Offering an escape, because he knew he liked his privacy more than anything in rainy nights. He had a strange and completely alien urge to hug the man, but instead just snorted. "Don't be an idiot." He created fire with a pull of his thumb, and drew in heavy smoke as deep as it would go. "You're the only one who doesn't snore."

Hakkai's lips twitched slightly and in response he held out a blue key chain. "Why don't you make use of the bath?" He suggested. "I'll take our things up. We'll be in 12."

Sanzo stared at the key briefly and then nodded in acquiescence, and sogged wetly up the steps. Hakkai made to gather their things and not jostle an exhausted Hakuryu. Gojyo pushed away from the wall he had been holding up and picked up the bulk. "Thank you." Hakkai sighed with genuine appreciation.

Slinging a pack over one shoulder, Gojyo leveled his friend with a questioning look. "Are you sure it's a good idea for you to bunk with the monk?"

There was an only slightly humored chuckle. "Yes. Alliterations aside it's probably for the best." And as a conversational out, he turned and headed up the stairs to their rooms.

Gojyo watched him go, blowing smoke from the corner of his mouth. "Best for who?" He asked the empty room.

* * *

When Sanzo made it to the room almost an hour later, Hakkai was dressed in dry clothes and pouring tea. He glanced up and offered a polite smile. "Just in time."

Sanzo eased down to sit sideways in the only other available chair, leaning back against the wall. For a few moments they sat and drank their tea in silence, both watching the rain through the window across the room. Then Sanzo's nose twitched. Hakkai smelled like cloves, and soap. "Did you take a bath?" He asked confused.

"Mm. Shower. Some of the rooms in the east wing weren't too badly damaged, at least the ones closest to the center stairs." He explained.

"Aa."

A loud clap of thunder drew their eyes back to the window and they observed a brilliant slash of lightning. Sanzo's lips hovered above the rim of the cup as his gaze flitted about the room. Hakuryu was dead to the world and curled up on one of the bed's pillows. A few of Hakkai's books were lying about on their backs, pages open to dry.

"I used to like the rain." Hakkai said quietly as he stared transfixed at the storm. "One of the orphanages I stayed in had a greenhouse, all glass." Sanzo wasn't sure if was talking to him, but didn't comment. "I would sneak in and just…watch." He seemed to shake off the melancholy, offering a false smile.

Sanzo was watching him, a serious and considering look bringing his brows together. "It bothers you now."

Hakkai blinked at the statement. "Yes, though I know I shouldn't let it."

Sanzo grunted and nodded, looking thoughtful as he fished a cigarette from the pack. "It was raining when he found you." He stated lifted a hip off the chair and pulling his lighter out of his pocket.

Hakkai nodded in unneeded confirmation. "Strange, all I remember about that time is the rain, but I know that's not right."

Across the table Sanzo ground out his only slightly singed cigarette and formed the next question carefully. "What did you do? Those two months after you left the village, before you…found Hyakugan-maoh's castle?"

He frowned and brought a hand to his forehead. "I'm not sure." He admitted softly. "It's mostly just static. I followed rumors, and walked. I guess I was so determined to find her, nothing else mattered." He rubbed his forehead slowly. "It's just not there."

There was the creak of old wood as Sanzo leaned against the back of his chair. "Yeah. I don't remember the better part of the first year." He turned his cup 180 degrees before looking up. "After I left Kinzan temple, just started walking east."

"And found Goku." Hakkai supplied.

"Eh. You could call it that I suppose."

Thunder rattled the window and lightning colored the sky a brilliant white, and both men tensed.

"Perhaps," Hakkai began "some saké would be in order."

* * *

And so as the rain hurled itself to it's new life with the ground, the two men moved from tea to alcohol, and we find them in their original places at the small wood table with only a change of liquids.

"So the princess wasn't really a princess." Sanzo asks, bringing the empty cup to the table.

"No." Hakkai answered, moving to refill it. "It's that she was to become a princess that warrants the title."

"But she wasn't born one? Thanks." He sipped the warmed wine and waited for his companion to speak.

"Indeed." He said. "Born a commoner, a milkmaid."

Sanzo blinked. "And she fell in love with the prince?"

Hakkai shook his head. "No. No, she fell in love with a farm hand. Professed her love for him."

"Professed?"

"Yes. _'There is no room in my body for anything but you'_ she says _'My arms love you, my ears adore you, my knees shake with blind affection. My mind begs you to ask it something so it can obey.'_" He gestured with theatrical flourish. "She goes on for a full page."

Sanzo sat, cup and eyebrows raised. "That's just silly."

"Yes." Hakkai admitted. "The whole thing is more a mockery of 'true love' than anything."

Sanzo shifted in his chair, curious despite himself. "But if she was so much in love with the farm hand, what's with the whole 'princess' thing?"

Hakkai smiled and leaned forearms against the table, very much in his element. "The prince wanted a beautiful wife. She was the most beautiful there was. You see, he was on the verge of declaring war; he needed the people's support. Everyone likes a pretty Queen." Sanzo frowned, and opened his mouth to contest. "Calm down. The boy went off to seek his fortune, so he could become more worthy." Sanzo was still frowning. "Killed by pirates."

Sanzo leaned his chair back, so that it was balanced on two legs. "So she marries the prince?"

"Well." Hakkai chuckles. "They try."

"Ridiculous." Sanzo declares and pours wine into Hakkai's cup. They both look up when the rain increases its effort to regain the center of attention.

"Goodness." Hakkai said softly. "If this keeps up we'll be washed away."

Sanzo grunted and killed his cup, turning it upside down on the table with a thunk, and he snorted in contrition. "Just our luck, we'd all drown before we could complete our 'mission'."

Hakkai laughed an amused smooth sound. "Shangri-La is screwed."

Sanzo's lips curled and he gave a heavy 'humph' that could pass as a laugh, and it seemed to take away some of the trouble in his eyes. He reached out a hand and flicked a finger over a page of the book they had been discussing. "What are the rest of these?" He asked, gesturing around the room.

He leaned back in his chair, and looked around at the books Sanzo was indicating. "Some philosophy, some western poetry."

"Oh?" Sanzo asked curious. "You like that stuff?"

He nodded, reaching down for one modest leather bound tome. "I didn't get to read much of it before."

When he didn't say anymore, Sanzo leaned forward to nix the book out of his hand. "Why not?"

Hakkai rested his chin in his palm and watched Sanzo flip through its pages. "Most of my schools were run by nuns, kept by the church. They were more concerned with teaching the word of god than much else. By the time I was done with all that I had Kanan."

Still looking idly through the pages Sanzo lifted his head. "What's that have to do with anything?"

He smiled, green eyes slightly crinkling with amusement. "We didn't have that much money, so we had to buy books we would both enjoy. She couldn't stand that stuff. She said it was too direct, had no mystery. She tended to gravitate to flowery words and liberal interpretations."

"I bet that was annoying"

Hakkai emitted a surprised laugh. Like a bubble popping after resting for a bit on some surface. "Yes. It was. I was quite the fatalist."

"Aa." The monk said in understanding. "I never did overly much care for symbolism."

"Neither did I."

Sanzo frowned down at the pages. "You can read this?"

"No, I just keep it around to give the impression that I'm well rounded."

Sanzo's laugh was rusty with disuse, and he tossed the book at Hakkai's chest. "Asshole."

He received a genuine smile for his trouble. "I take it you can't read English?"

His lips were busy, wrapped around the filter of a pristine Marlboro. "What of it?"

"Now Sanzo. I'm not demeaning you. You who has such a mastery of Sanskrit."

Said Sanskrit master exhaled a lungful of smoke. "I can speak it, and understand it. I just never learned to read or write it."

"I could teach you sometime." He offered. "I think you would enjoy a good Shakespearian satire."

"Mm. My life is satire." Sanzo muttered eyes on the well worn black book. He watched Hakkai lift his cup to his lips and drink deep. It must be a shame, he thought, to have such a tolerance to alcohol. His own head was delightfully fuzzy, and the soft lamplight seemed to wash everything in gentle amber. Except Hakkai's eyes, which were green and sharp and beautiful. Now the humor in them was draining away and they were contemplative and swimming in melancholy. Sanzo watched as he ran long gentle fingers over the binding like he was petting a cat. Lightning lit the sky, and he was surprised, he had forgotten it was raining.

But Hakkai hadn't, he was petting his book and watching the storm, and touching that book; whose cover was shiny in places from the continuous contact of its owners hands. "I want to hear one." The room was quiet but for the sound of the rain, and Sanzo wasn't aware he had made the request out loud until Hakkai turned to look at him curiously. "Read me one." He demanded, pointing at the well loved book, the cigarette smoldering forgotten between his fingers.

Hakkai smiled, his eyes loosing some of their haunted shadows, but he didn't open the book. He merely closed his eyes and began to recite. "_'Looking up at the stars, I know quite well that, for all they care, I can go to hell, but on earth indifference is the least we have to dread from man or beast.'_" Sanzo leaned back in his chair, content to listen and watch his companions face. "_'How should we like it were stars to burn with a passion for us we could not return? If equal affection cannot be, let the more loving one be me.'_" Sanzo's hand moved to turn his cup upright, and Hakkai's to fill it with wine, his eyes half lidded and filled with thought. "_'Admirer as I think I am of stars that do not give a damn, I cannot, now I see them, say I missed one terribly all day. Were all stars to disappear or die, I should learn to look at an empty sky and feel its total dark sublime, though this might take me a little time.'_"

Moments punctuated by raindrops and thunder passed; both feeling strangely at peace with the still raging storm, violent slashes of lightning exposing dangerous craggy shadows about the room. Then Sanzo shifted, grinding out his cigarette with slow careful movements. Then Hakkai rose, pushing away from the table, cup in hand to go and investigate the window. Tapping his extinguished cigarette into a cheep brass ashtray he watched him go, knowing in his gut that Hakkai could not be as easily distracted as he could. And what was strange, was that he _wanted_ to distract him, he wanted the easy comfort he was feeling to be shared as simply as the wine in their cups.

Hakkai drew words on the glass, cutting condensation with a fingertip. He paused to drink, and found his cup empty; staring into the short depth disappointed he sat it on the window sill to continue. Behind him Sanzo stood, easy fingers hooking around the narrow neck of the bottle on the table, content to try; he brought the bottle to the window.

As he poured the soft squeak of flesh on wet glass stopped. Finished. And Hakkai granted him a thankful smile as he drank again. While he did, Sanzo read the perfect characters he had displayed. _The years shall run like rabbits, for in my arms I hold the flower of the ages; and the first love of the world. _He found the words lyrical and pretty, without concrete interpretation. But they were familiar. If it had been anyone else he would have not commented. He would have made like he had never seen them before. But it was Hakkai, so he moved to write a verse above them. _I'll love you till the ocean is folded and hung to dry. And the seven stars go squawking like geese about the sky._ He was overly pleased to see a grin twist its way across the man's face, as his eyes danced over the old song, and green eyes were curious as Hakkai reached up to write the first verse. _I'll love you, dear, I'll love you, till China and Africa meet. And the river jumps the mountain. And the salmon sing in the street._

"You are full of surprises Sanzo." He commented softly, and Sanzo let his own lips curve as he moved to rest his head on the sill, standing close enough that he felt the warmth that was Hakkai. He was always warm.

"Sometimes I surprise myself." He longed to be that warm, but it was someone else who made him want that. He wouldn't hope for that anymore. There was the stroke of a warm fingertip over his cheek, and he had to blink himself back into reality, and looked at Hakkai curiously.

"I apologize. I couldn't seem to help myself." In fact he was looking at his hand as if it did not belong to him. Sanzo merely shrugged, watching as Hakkai pulled the bottle from his fingers and refilled both their cups to the brim.

Sanzo drained his quickly, briefly feeling dizzy as he moved to set the cup aside. There was a warm hand on his chest, pushing him back to sit on the deep sill of the window. Hakkai brushed hair from his face, and saw that those odd colored eyes were mostly clear, and that wayward finger chose to run over the bright charka emblazoned there, almost expecting it to burn him.

Looking thoughtful, Sanzo reached his own hand up to touch the mark, considering the shadows as Hakkai eased down to sit beside him. There was a bracing contrast, in the coolness of the damp glass at his back and the gentle warmth from the man at his side. "May I ask you something?"

Sanzo's eyes narrowed. "I have a feeling I'm not going to like this."

He felt Hakkai quake with silent laughter. "You can always refuse to answer."

"Aa." He nodded turning to meet the other's questioning gaze. The light seemed dimmer from here, the shadows longer.

Hakkai watched him; Sanzo could practically see his mind working. "What was he like?"

His first instinct was to be angry, to deny him an answer, like he had said he could. But this was Hakkai, and he was looking at him with…those eyes. He looked away, reaching a hand to grab his cigarettes off the table, and leaning briefly into Hakkai to get his lighter out. Their shoulders brushed as he lit up, and he let it remain as he tried to reason out a response. "Kind. He was very kind." His lips curled and he turned to look at Hakkai. "He would skip out of lectures and hide from the monks." He laughed quietly, his arm pressing fully against his temporary roommates. "He used to tell fantastic stories, made Buddhist lore seem like…" he trailed off as the ash tumbled from the glowing end of the cigarette in his hand. "He said he named me because I was strong, that that what was important, not beliefs or devotion." It was burning low, making his fingers glow orange. "Every so often I have to wonder though."

And there was Hakkai's hand, taking the butt from his fingers and grounding it out against the corner of the molding, and dropping it into the now empty bottle.

"Do you doubt his judgment?" Sanzo lifted his head; Hakkai's eyes were flat and serious, and faced with that he couldn't find words. He merely hung his head. Then there was an arm around his neck, and he was pulled into an easy affectionate embrace, reminiscent of those he received from his master. "Don't." And he couldn't resist leaning into that warmth, letting his forehead bump against Hakkai's mouth. "You're freezing!" He exclaimed softly, enfolding him closer. "Sanzo! Why didn't you say anything?" He was sounding very much like a teacher now.

Laughing, somehow amused by the whole situation, he buried his face into Hakkai's throat and brought his arms up. And just as he felt hands moving up his back and into his hair something occurred to him. Turning his face into the hollow beneath Hakkai's chin he was insanely glad no one could see his face. "Are we…cuddling?"

Hakkai stopped, hands curling into his hair. "Aa. It would appear so."

Grinning Sanzo nuzzled in a very uncharacteristic move that made Hakkai's throat thick. "Just making sure. Tell anyone about this and…"

Fingers dug into a much to thin waist as Hakkai finished the dropped sentence. "You'll kill me?"

Fascinated with the back of Hakkai's neck, Sanzo's voice was disinterested. "No, I may shoot you though…somewhere non-lethal."

* * *

Gojyo woke to the loud boisterous sound of laughter and the sudden blinding glare of lightening. He experienced the typical panic of disorientation, an unfamiliar ceiling, the bedding facing the wrong hemisphere…but after a bit it faded and there were only the oddly reassuring soft snores of the monkey in the next bed.

He rolled over, facing the cheaply paneled wall, and listened to the contradictory sounds of Hakkai's joyful laughter and the constant drumming of the rain.

Lifting a sleep heavy arm he traced lazy patterns over valleys and hollows of the wood. He'd fallen asleep to the low rumble of voices, trying to convince himself that they were okay. And they were. He'd never thought of Sanzo as a conversationalist, but Hakkai did strange things to people. Sanzo had always acted differently towards Hakkai, even from the very beginning.

Another bout of laughter, this time punctuated by the low sandpaper sound of Sanzo's voice, made him smile. Rolling onto his stomach he smushed his face into the pillow. He could put up with Sanzo indefinitely if it was for Hakkai. If the monk didn't step on his toes, he didn't mind sharing.

* * *

Hakkai chuckled as Sanzo's fingers fumbled with the buttons on his shirt. "I'll have to remember to get you drunk more often, your being oddly affectionate." He hummed amused.

"I'm not drunk." His voice was muffled against the sharp dip of Hakkai's collarbone.

"And you're not sober." Came the contest with a grin. "If I didn't know any better I'd say this was a flashback."

Sanzo smiled against smooth skin. "Have those often do you?"

"Mm." He stroked a capable hand down the length of Sanzo's spine and watched as he arched to the touch. "Not really."

He laughed and nipped the protruding bone in reproach. Buttons slid easily out of their holes, then gripped by the collar, it was tugged over shoulders and down arms. When he felt fingers on the back of his neck he paused, tilting his head to help, knowing that the hook-and-eyes could be difficult. Feeling the fabric loosen he smirked. "Aa, you remember."

"Shut up." Sanzo was then shoved off the sill, and in that swift efficient way he had, Hakkai divested him of the clingy resilient black fabric with almost startling briskness. He was staring at him with almost violent thoughtfulness, and then stepped close.

At the first brush of his lips Sanzo relaxed, fingers reaching to twist through wash frayed belt loops, trying to use them as leverage to pull him even closer. When Hakkai didn't budge, Sanzo relented and stepped up; only to have Hakkai step back. "Tease." He cursed gruffly, reaching up to thread hands into hair the color of bitter chocolate, and tugging roughly.

Hakkai gave a soft shout of laughter, letting himself be tugged into a bruising kiss. Maneuvering gently he pushed them both to the edge of one of the beds. Sanzo felt it hit the back of his knees, but barely registered the contact before they both tumbled gracelessly onto the mattress.

* * *

Gojyo awoke sharply to the distant sound of thunder, and blinked into the pillow smashed against his nose. Something had woke him up, groaning softly he passed it off as the dying storm and nestled back in to catch the tail end of whatever dream he'd been having. Then he heard it. A long low moan. Like pulled taffy. His muddled mind strived to put together pieces. A moan, next door, Hakkai and Sanzo were next door. Was someone having a nightmare?

Then Hakkai's low laugh tickled his ears. Now he was thoroughly confused. Gojyo was sitting up, pushing tangled hair from his eyes and listening hard. But there was nothing. It was quiet. Lowering himself slowly, he blinked at the darkness confused, until sleep overtook him again.

* * *

"Do you think we woke anyone up?" Hakkai asked in a breathless chuckle.

"I don't care." Came a muffled groan from the general vicinity of the pillow.

The bed was much too small of one person, let alone two. Tangled sheets twisted around their tangled legs in a way that would have been uncomfortable had they had any feeling in said legs. Something fell to the floor with a heavy sound. Hakkai blinked sleepily and stretched his arms up, a viable substitute for a pillow he thought. Sanzo groaned again, lifting his face from its cocoon of down. He only opened one eye, looking as if he didn't have the energy to attempt to see with the other. "Remind me in the morning that my lighter is on the floor."

"Everything is on the floor." Hakkai said patiently with eyes closed. "And it's already morning."

Sanzo grumbled something and tumbled face first into the pillow. Moments later he mumbled something that sounded vaguely like a question, and Hakkai opened his eyes. "Wha?"

A blond head slowly struggled away from plumped fabric. "Can you move over any?" He asked with hair clumped and clinging to a damp face.

Reaching out he brushed at it helpfully, somewhat amazed that he could still move his arms. "If I move over anymore, I would be in the next room." Sanzo blinked wearily, looking at him as if he didn't think that was such a bad idea. "I can get up, just give me a moment." Hakkai assured in a sleepy voice.

"No." Sanzo admonished gruffly. "Just roll onto your side." He watched him turn in slow tired moves, and did the same. Their legs tangled again, as if on their own, and Hakkai draped a heavy arm across his waist. Burying his nose into Hakkai's throat he sighed. "Next time we push the beds together."

"Mm." Agreed the already sleeping man.

* * *

'Morning' was misty and dimly lit, causing everyone to sleep in later then normal; probably due to the near total lack of sunlight. Sanzo had the dubious honor of being the first to wake; slightly disoriented by the excess of warmth and the extra arm he'd seem to have grown in the night. For a moment it gave way to a different confusion. Hakkai was in his bed, yet this looked nothing like the comfortably modest room he kept at the temple. Because they weren't at the temple. They were in an inn in the middle of nowhere, and for the first time in eight days it wasn't raining. Turning to look out the window he noticed two things, one was the thick white fog that pressed densely against the glass, the other was the way Hakkai's arms viced around him with familiar tightness. Grinning he stretched like a cat against him, just this once he could wait for a cigarette.

* * *

Hakkai didn't so much as 'wake', as have his mind washed clean of sleep by a flurry of sensation. There was something warm, wet and wonderful on his chest. Groaning he rubbed ineffectually at his left eye, while peering down with his right; only to find a mass of golden hair. "Good morning. Your lighter is on the floor."

Lifting his head he glared at Hakkai with equal portions of shock and angry disbelief. Dumbfounded he watched as the man lifted himself up onto his elbows, leaning back to look out the window. "Aa. There's no way we can drive in this fog." Leveling himself over the completely rational man, he couldn't figure if he should be proud or hurt. "It will probably be a few hours." And then, just as Sanzo had made up his mind to find his gun and _shoot him in the head_; he was tackled. More like 'pounced upon', and found himself on his back dueling with a very animate tongue. Gasping in surprise, he found that Hakkai could do _ingenious_ things with those long fingered hands. But then again he knew that.

When his eyes rolled back into their rightful, sight full, places he found the rumpled brunette grinning down at him. "You're an evil bastard." He spat without much enthusiasm.

"Aa, well…yes. Now, I'm willing to bet that we have roughly forty five minutes before Goku bursts through that door demanding breakfast. Shall we see what interesting noises you can make _this_ time?" Not that he would give him much choice in the matter, his hands were already working over any and every erogenous zone Sanzo had. And the leer bespoke of the terrible naughty things he had planned.

Sanzo felt his heart thump heavily and he dug his fingers into Hakkai's waist in retribution. "Evil ba-aah!"

* * *

Exactly fifty two minutes later Goku shoved open that door to find a freshly washed Hakkai pouring coffee for an exhausted half dressed Sanzo. He was slumped boneless in the rickety chair, rumpled golden head buried in the crook of an arm. The sight was as welcome as it was rare. He noted the distracted way Sanzo blinked at him before turning his face back, and the happy _'Isn't it a beautiful day?'_ thing Hakkai had going. Knowing that this happened about as often as a lunar eclipse, he padded silently into the room and took a seat on the one made bed.

"Good morning Goku. Did you sleep well?" When most people asked this, you got the impression they didn't really care. What Goku loved about Hakkai was that he really _did _care, and he nodded in happy appreciation. Hearing nothing Sanzo lifted his face and regarded him blurrily, a suspicious questioning look, before he seemed to decide it was just taking to much energy and dropping his head back onto the table.

"The young lady is going to bring us up breakfast. Perhaps you could go warn Gojyo that Sanzo is slightly hung over and that we'll need more chairs?" The question ended with slightly raised brows and a kind look that said _'please'_.

He let the thrill of _'Yay!'_ happen in his head, accompanied by a mental happy dance. The grin however stretched with amazing width across his face. "Sure thing." He left the room as quietly as he entered, but closing the door with more care than with what he opened it.

As Hakkai pulled wrinkled sheets together Sanzo lifted his head. "I'm not hung over, I'm tired."

"Yes. I know." He offered no excuses or explanations, merely set about plumping the bed's one pillow.

Sanzo glared at the pillow, eyes narrowed in speculation. "The monkey's acting funny."

"Yes, perhaps a bit." He pulled the drab coverlet over the pillow, transferring Sanzo's glare. When he made it clear that he didn't intend to say any more on the subject, Sanzo sighed and let his head hit is arm yet again and waited for breakfast to arrive.

* * *

Gojyo was very, very confused. The monkey was quiet, happily hording food and silently licking plates. Sanzo looked about two blinks away from rem, and Hakkai was blissfully gathering plates; content to aid the innkeeper's daughter. It had to be one of the quietest most well mannered meals that the four had ever had…he was quite sure he was dreaming. Or maybe that these were a group of doppelgangers.

Hakkai stood just inside the open door, chatting amicably with the blushing nervous girl as if it was something he did daily. The pretty little lady said something and Hakkai laughed. Watching his friend with pride he grinned, only to be distracted by Sanzo's irate mumblings.

Compounding confusion upon confusion Gojyo watched Sanzo speak to the table. Shaking his head he turned to look at Goku, perhaps to glean a bit of insight, only to see the boy watching the monk with a happy grin. He was on the verge of screaming when Hakkai stepped fully inside the room and cleared his throat.

"It seems the bridge is washed out." He blinked down at them from the foot of the table, as if waiting for a reaction.

Sanzo pinched the bridge of his nose and spoke in an even tone with eyes closed. "Is there another bridge?"

"Yes. I'm sure there are lots of bridges. That's beside the point." Sanzo merely offered up a small frown, lifting a brow for him to go on. "It seems that this happens quite often, Chao-san assured me that it could be fixed by this afternoon."

"What are we supposed to do till then?" Gojyo asked.

"Aa. Well, Chao-san also said that the shops here are rather lacking. She suggests heading south to get supplies."

"How far south?" Sanzo demanded reaching for a crumpled pack of cigarettes.

Hakkai helpfully moved to pick up his lighter from the bedspread, and handed it to him. "She assured me that I could make it there and back before the bridge was repaired." He eased down into a chair as Sanzo flicked the cover back with a chink. "Hakuryu is well rested, and the road shouldn't be too bad. The fog has cleared up quite a bit."

"Hn." Sanzo pushed back his chair and tugged at his shifted robes. "Let's get going then." He pinned Goku and Gojyo with a thoughtful look. "You should help with the bridge." And with that he was out the door with the well rested Hakuryu following him out.

"Aa." Hakkai rose and set the two chairs to rights. "That's a fabulous idea, be good you two."

"Bye!" Goku called waving happily, seemingly unbothered by the suggestion of manual labor. And as the door shut he fixed that mega watt grin on Gojyo, who looked slightly horrified.

"Just what the fuck is going on?" He demanded, slapping his hands down on the table for emphasis.

Goku giggled as he stood. "It's always like this after they stay up and talk."

Gojyo furiously ground out a cigarette. "No they don't. Sanzo doesn't talk. They don't 'stay up and talk'." He insisted pointing at the door.

"Yeah they do." Goku taunted in a singsong voice. "They've done it before."

"What?" Gojyo demanded. "When? What?"

"When Hakkai used to stay at the temple. They stayed up all the time. I used to listen but I'd always fall asleep."

"That never happens." Gojyo argued, seriously thinking he'd been dropped in a parallel universe. "I've never seen that. You're talking crazy chimp face."

"Nuh uh." Goku argued; his good mood unshakable. "When Hakkai stayed at the temple, before he was Hakkai. It happened."

"What?" He looked as if he'd just been told his foundation was cracked it would take so much money to fix it.

"Uh huh," the monkey barreled on "and Sanzo would be really tired but in a really good mood an' he'd buy me these little cakes from the shop in town when I asked."

"You mean Hakkai stayed at the temple?" Gojyo asked dumfounded.

"Duh! Stupid kappa, where did you think he stayed?" Taking no notice of how the news affected the redhead he wrenched open the door. "Are you commin' or what?"

Blinking dumbly at the boy, he forced himself to his feet. "Yeah, I'm commin'." He rubbed his forehead as if to get his brain to absorb the new tid bit of info, and followed the boy out into the hall. He couldn't shake the feeling that there was something about the whole situation that was off. He'd always thought _he_ was sharing Hakkai with Sanzo, but maybe it was the other way around.

'_Grateful, I slept till a morning that would not say  
how much it believed of what I said the storm had said__  
but quietly drew my attention to what had been done__  
-So many cubic metres the more in my cistern__  
Against a leonine summer-putting first things first:__  
Thousands have lived without love, not one without water.'_

* * *

3-28-05 

AN: Damn. Can you tell that I had no idea where that was going? It started out so differently, it's almost like two stories that somehow haphazardly met. Oh well. I have the feeling I'm going to do a companion. Something about Hakkai staying for a few days at the temple with Sanzo, you know a whadyacallit…a prequel.

The poem at the beginning and end (for which this story is named), along with the stars poem are by WH Auden.


End file.
